Happy GoodFriday!
Here's something I heard, thought, and did this week.
Something I Heard: Well Done
“Well done is better than well said.” — Benjamin Franklin
Something I Thought: Impact
Attention is watching a car accident. Impact is helping those involved.
It came to me while I was thinking about the state of social media and the endless need to garner attention from strangers. Not to mention all the terrible things you constantly see online, accidents and such. We’ve become so programmed to believe attention is the currency of highest value that we’ve overlooked how important it is to make an impact.
It’s also what went wrong in my own social media pursuit. I shifted from impact to attention and felt the slip. I was chasing views, trying to look impressive with little bits of information. I wasn’t aiming to help as much as I was trying to get attention. I’ve since refocused what I’m doing, and I’m looking forward to this next chapter on Substack.
Something I'm Doing: Shop With A Cop
The first year I got involved with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Foundation’s Shop With A Cop, a board member invited me to volunteer at the event. When I saw firsthand the impact it had on the community, I was instantly hooked. Kids who otherwise wouldn’t have presents for the holidays were smiling and laughing with the deputies they were shopping with. Parents were crying because their children could have a Christmas like most of us have. It moved me so deeply that I had to get involved, and eventually I joined the board.
Every year, VCSF raises money to give 100–200 kids throughout Ventura County a holiday season they’ll never forget. Each child is paired with a deputy and given a $250 Target gift card so they can go shopping for the holidays. The kids who are chosen don’t have the same privileges many of us have, and the holidays can be tough on their families.
Last night was the Shop With A Cop fundraiser. I saw a room full of people who wanted to use their treasure to make a difference in their community this holiday season. We raised $50,000 for the kids, a new record. Every bit of it goes to making an impact on the lives of those less privileged.
Until next week!
-Cameron Harn
